The price of a 50 kg bag of cement has surged to as high as ₦11,000 in many parts of Nigeria, causing concern among builders, contractors and ordinary consumers who rely on the material for construction and housing projects, recent market surveys show.

Retail checks across several states including Kwara, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa and Abuja indicate that the cost of a bag has risen sharply from around ₦9,300-₦9,700 late last year to between ₦10,500 and ₦11,000 now, depending on the brand and location. Traders say the increases cut across major cement products such as Dangote Cement, BUA Cement and Lafarge Africa, as well as other brands.

In the Utako building materials market in Abuja, some sellers reported that BUA Cement is now fetching about ₦11,200 per bag, while Dangote cement is selling at around ₦10,800 to ₦11,000 depending on the outlet.

Dealers and customers both say the persistent upward adjustment is stretching construction budgets and making planning difficult for homeowners and developers. In Ilorin, Kwara State, cement that previously sold for around ₦9,500 to ₦9,700 now goes for ₦10,500-₦10,700 per bag, forcing some small-scale buyers to reconsider or delay their projects.

Market participants have attributed the price hike to rising supply chain costs, transportation charges and production expenses faced by manufacturers and dealers, although consumers argue these factors offer little relief given the scale of the increase. Dealers in some areas also point to additional margins by middlemen that widen the gap between factory prices and what buyers pay.

The increase in cement prices comes at a time when Nigeria faces a significant housing deficit and high costs for building materials, prompting calls for stakeholders and government to investigate ways to stabilise essential construction inputs to support affordable housing delivery nationwide.